What Instagram’s Most Famous Travel Entrepreneur Can’t Live Without

WHAT INSTAGRAM’S MOST FAMOUS TRAVEL ENTREPRENEUR CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT Latifah Al-Hazza

Stopped at a red light or riding the Red Line, chances are you’ve scrolled across the Beautiful Destinations Instagram page. Launched in 2012, it captivates would-be travelers multiple times a day with striking photos and videos from around the world, and to date, the account has accrued more 19 million followers. The company has also expanded into digital marketing, and past clients include the Egypt Tourism Authority, the Jamaica Tourism Board, and Air Canada, just to name a few. But behind every behemoth Instagram account is a singular man with a vision, and if you peer behind the curtain of tourism industry juggernaut Beautiful Destinations, you’ll find CEO and Founder Jeremy Jauncey.

“I am a passionate believer that [travel] is a force for good that can help us better understand different cultures and connect with each other,” Jauncey, 36, tells us. Down-to-earth, cultured, and with Instagram-worthy looks of his own, the Scottish and Colombian entrepreneur has traveled to more than 75 countries, though he says it’s impossible to choose his favorite. Much easier: where he’s dying to travel to next, which includes Norway, Madagascar, and Panama.

Like those he’s inspired, Jauncey says that his own influences for his successful business are myriad and worldwide. “In the early days of Instagram we realized that people from all walks of life were connecting over a shared passion for travel and photography and that social media was a way for them to express themselves,” he says. “We wanted to be the place they could do that and foster a community that would celebrate the power of travel.” Beautiful Destinations is truly a community and platform for everyone.

So what keeps him going? Jauncey revealed to us a list of essential items for his own personal and professional travel, easing the stress on the mind and body. “You’ll notice that a lot revolve around health,” he says. “This is the one non-negotiable for me when I travel, as taking care of yourself when you’re on the road is critical.”

Athletic Greens Travel Packs

While dining options on planes and in airports have grown more refined in recent years, it can still be tough to source a healthy meal if you’re in a rush. “It’s always hard getting good nutrition in airports, on planes, or at gas stations along your route,” Jauncey says. “I have [Athletic Greens] travel packs with me in my hand luggage, checked luggage, and just about anywhere else I can when I’m on the road.” Mixed in water, a single serving provides 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food-sourced ingredients to support immune system, gut health, energy, and recovery. “I take it every day without fail, sometimes twice if I’ve done a longhaul flight or had a particularly hard workout,” he adds.

Dreamers Glasses

When you’re a professional traveler, jet lag is nothing to sleep on. Dreamers eyeglasses claim to help get you to dreamland faster by blocking blue and green light, which can confuse the body’s natural circadian rhythm. “Sleep is always my biggest challenge when I travel — with airlines, airports, taxis, and hotel rooms blasting you with toxic blue and green light. Dreamers are scientifically proven to block 99.9% of [green and blue] light so you can improve the quality of your sleep when you travel,” he says.

Hyperice Hypervolt Go

“My body aches after travel, especially long haul flights, so having this in my hand luggage to get blood flowing and ease pains has been a lifesaver,” Jauncey says. This massage gun weighs less than two pounds, has three speed settings, and has enough juice for more than 2.5 hours of use. The TSA has already approved it for your carry-on luggage, though we can’t vouch for your checked bags.

Master and Dynamic MW65 Headphones

These headphones may look like a retro find from your grandparents’ record cabinet, but underneath their vintage exterior are wholly modern components, cuttingedge sound, noise-canceling performance, and dual microphones for focused-in calls. It’s no wonder that a refined gentleman like Jauncey would select them for audio experience both in-flight and on the ground. “With work-life now remote and meetings happening on Zoom, I need good audio equipment to stay connected and productive,” he says. “These have been my go-to for years.”

Ten Thousand Workout Apparel and Loungewear

“The most versatile workout gear I’ve ever had,” Jauncey says. “I wear the recovery line when I travel.” A favorite with both professional athletes and the everyman, Ten Thousand’s fabrics are second to none and its fits have to be experienced to be believed. In our humble opinion, its gear represents the epitome of men’s activewear right now (and the Instagram entrepreneur’s abs would seem to agree).

DISCOVERING SAUDI HERITAGE AL-BALAD

Vibrant history in the heart of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Yana Murash

Discovering Jeddah, involves discovering Al-Balad. Al-Balad is the historical area of Jeddah , and it can be translated as "The Town". Al-Balad was founded in the 7th century. In 2014 Al-Balad was accepted to be added to UNESCO's World Heritage list. The active vibrant life in Al-Balad begins after 5pm, when the sun goes down and Arabian fairytales come back to the tiny streets of the multi-storied mud brick and stone buildings. Mixing with the local people who are still living there brings this area to life. These days you can see some western tourists in the Al-Balad Cafes and in the area of the vibrant marketplace. The market offer to visitors everything - from textiles and sparkling silver and gold ornaments to spices and honey. There are hundreds of small shops along the narrow alleys, filled with everything from watches and clothes to incense and antiques. Be prepared to haggle for a fair price. You may even have to pretend to leave before you and the seller agree.

If you visiting Al-Balad in the morning hours, the streets are mostly empty and spacious. There is often a slight wind from the west, coming from Jeddah’s Red Sea coast. This is best time to see the historical building architecture of the Old Town. The architectural style is characterized by the imposing tower houses decorated by large wooden window enclosures and shades built in the late 19th century by the city`s mercantile elites, and also characterized by lower coral stone houses, mosques, souq’s and small public squares that together compose a very active space. The older buildings have elaborate hand-carved wooden shutters and balconies. Some are painted bright green or blue, others are naturally brown. Some of the buildings have risen to more than 30 meters. Their construction is still in good condition after decades.

Jeddah Old City is a home for 500-year-old buildings that are now subject to restoration as the Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman pledged an amount of $13.3 million to restore 56 buildings. The restoration project will be implemented by the Ministry of Culture. The aim of the project is to boost the artistic culture in Saudi Arabia. Al Balad has 600 protected buildings which cannot be taken down, at least not according to the law.

In another part of Al Balad, where the once-walled-in city opened up via the northern gate Bab Jadid, residents have put up wooden sofas near the street. This is a majlis where people gather in the evenings.

Hisham Binjabi is one of the most celebrated Saudi artists, and who opened an Art Gallery in the historic district of Al Balad. A chance encounter at the age of 14 catapulted him to be the artist of Kings and Royals. After which, he painted for several notable subjects and patrons including King Faisal, King Khalid, King Abdullah, as well as objects of Saudi culture and the Arabian environment such as the Arabian horses.

Many buildings in Old Jeddah are now being propped up, renovated and cleaned. The change is gradual, however, the effort to date is rewarding.

This is very much a location worth visiting while in Jeddad, especially at the present time which shows a mix of buildings, some in good condition, and some to be refurbished. The feeling here is of living history, and visually different from other cities in Saudi Arabia.